How to make Windows 8 App Shortcuts

How to make Windows 8 App Shortcuts

Windows 8 features the all known app’s from the Windows Store and the built-in app store. But what if you want those apps on your desktop instead of having them in the Metro UI (start), then this post is something you should read. I will show you how-to create a shortcut and give you a list of common applications and their target.

How to create the shortcut

Open your desktop, and right-click an empty location

Choose New and then choose Shortcut

New Shortcut

You will now be asked for the location, for example you want to create a shortcut to the mail app, the target is:
explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsLive.Mail

Create a shortcut

Now click Next, name the shortcut, and click next

The shortcut has now been created on your desktop, you can use the table below to create shortcuts to any other application of your liking.

[alert-warning]Make sure you always type explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\ and then the command! [/alert-warning]

Default Windows Apps shortcuts

Below is a list to create App Shortcuts for the most common Windows 8 applications.

2014, 2015 & 2016 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Windows
Yuri specializes in troubleshooting (crash analysis and devices), system resource utilisation and system performance. He is also very interested in Customer Security. Yuri can be found as Windows Community Moderator and Wiki Author on Microsoft Answers and is active on different communities all across the web.

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